Pie and Mash with Parsley Liquor (English)
Pie and mash, traditional British comfort food that was once a staple of London’s working class in the city’s East End. It consists of a minced-beef filling (historically, leftover scraps of meat and vegetables) baked in a pastry crust and served with mashed potatoes and a thin green parsley sauce called liquor (which actually contains no alcohol). Since the 19th century, a common side dish has been jellied eels, and the liquor sauce was traditionally made with the liquid left over from stewing or boiling the eels. Contemporary pies come in a wide variety - such as chicken, fruit, and vegetarian - and pie-and-mash shops remain popular throughout London, especially in the East End. So, fill your boots with this authentic British dish of beef pie with a hearty suet pastry case and all the traditional trimmings.
Filling:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb minced beef steak or ground beef (450 g)
1 tsp. English mustard
1 Tbsp. tomato purée
1 beef stock cube
vegetable oil
5 oz brown ale (150 mL)
3½ oz beef stock (100 mL)
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
kosher or sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
Suet Pastry:
12 oz self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting (350 g)
8 oz beef suet (225 g)
1 large knob butter, softened, for greasing
Pie Crust:
1 lb ready-made shortcrust pastry, for the top of the pie (450 g)
1 free-range egg yolk, lightly beaten
Mashed Potatoes:
2 large potatoes (preferably Rooster or Nadine), peeled, cut into chunks
3½ oz hot milk (100 mL)
1 knob butter
drizzle chilli oil (optional)
Parsley Liquor:
2 oz butter (50 g)
2 oz cornflour (50 g)
18 oz chicken stock (500 mL)
generous bunch parsley, leaves only, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, roasted and puréed, to taste
To Serve:
jellied eels
For the Filling:
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion and garlic for five minutes or until softened. Add the mince and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned and cooked through.
Stir in the rest of the filling ingredients, season with salt and black pepper, freshly ground and set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, Gas Mark 4).
For the Suet Pastry:
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl with the suet and season with salt and black pepper, freshly ground. Gradually mix in about four Tbsp. of cold water, or until you have a moist but firm dough.
On a lightly floured work surface roll the dough out to a 2 mm thickness.
Generously butter two individual pie dishes then line each with the suet pastry, so that it covers the base and sides completely. Divide the filling mixture between the two dishes.
For the Pie Crust:
Roll out the shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a 2 mm thickness and use it to cover the two pies, pushing down the edges to seal. Brush generously with the egg yolk and make a hole in the middle of the lid to allow steam to escape.
Place the pie dishes into a deep-sided roasting tin and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the pie dishes, taking care not to get any water on the pastry. Transfer to the oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden and the filling steaming hot.
For the Mashed Potatoes:
Steam or boil the potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender. Scald the milk then mash the potatoes with the hot milk, butter and plenty of salt and black pepper until smooth but not puréed. Drizzle with a little chilli oil, if desired, and keep warm.
For the Parsley Liquor:
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and whisk in the cornflour to make a paste. Gradually stir in the stock, bring to a simmer, then stir in the parsley and garlic and stir until thickened and smooth.
To Serve:
Tip a pie out onto a plate (traditionally served upside down). Scoop some mash onto the plate and if you have used actual eel, chuck a couple of chunks on. Smother the mash with liquor and drizzle with chilli vinegar. Serve with jellied eels on the side.
Makes 6 servings.